Officials join pellet clean-up

Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing and Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok joined 30 volunteers from the disciplined services to help clean up the plastic pellet spill today.

They inspected the clean-up operation at Shek Pai Wan on Lamma Island. Mr Wong met the media afterwards and thanked the volunteers.

He said the Government will investigate who is responsible for the spill and initiate follow-up action. He said it will avoid putting the pellets in landfills.

Concerning the spill’s effect on marine ecology, he said the Environment Bureau will take enforcement action, together with the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department. So far, no problems with green turtles and coral reefs have been reported.

Mr Lai said the Government will work with volunteer groups. Teams from the Police, Customs & Excise, Immigration, Fire Services, and Correctional Services Departments are assisting in the clean-up.

“As today is not a public holiday, we expected the volunteers from other places will not be as many as on Saturdays and Sundays. [As far as] the disciplined volunteers [are] concerned, because of their work shift, they can spare more volunteers to come to assist. I believe it is a better use of resources, to clean our beaches as soon as possible.”

Mr Lai said it is difficult to forecast how long the clean-up will take, but it is the common aim of Hong Kong people that the mission finish as soon as possible.